Astronomy and Space

42 Draconis

42 Draconis (abbreviated 42 Dra), formally named Fafnir ( or ), is a 5th magnitude K-type giant star located approximately 295 light-years away in the constellation of Draco. An exoplanet (designated 42 Draconis b, later named Orbitar) was once thought to be orbiting the star, but its existence has since been refuted. Of spectral type K1.5III, the star has a mass similar to the Sun but with a radius 22 times greater. It is a metal-poor star with metallicity as low as 35% that of the Sun and its age is 9.49 billion years. It is the southern pole star of Venus. A 2019 study using Gaia DR2 data found a companion star to 42 Draconis, about half the Sun's mass, at a separation of 24 arcseconds, corresponding to 2220 AU.

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See also

• ▸David M. Walker (astronaut)
• ▸Geode
• ▸International Cometary Explorer

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